Beetle invasion not expected to last long

Wet spring brings black, shiny bugs to surface to survive

Large, shiny, black beetles can be seen everywhere, and experts said they will be making their presence known for at least two or three weeks.

"Every three or four years we see an infestation of beetles," Frank Rodriguez, owner of Bug Masters Pest Control, said Monday. "They don't come out every year, but they have come out this year."

Harlan Thorvilson, professor of entomology in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Texas Tech, said a mild winter and wet spring have allowed the bugs to proliferate.

"We are seeing them now because we have had a warm, moist spring," he said. "Many insects survive quite well in those conditions. Their stress has not been great."

He also speculated that some adult beetles were able to live through the winter. They have joined newly-hatched beetles in the search for food, he said.

The bugs are members of the Carabidae family of ground beetles, Thorvilson said. They are big, black and can fly. They eat just about anything, he said, and they are found just about everywhere.

However, they are not pests, the entomologist said.

"These are the good guys," he said. "They are the third largest family of beetles in North America. They hunt for food, and very few are what we would consider pests. Some of the larvae earlier in the year might have fed on plants, but the adults we are seeing now are no problem. In fact, they eat caterpillars, which can be a benefit."

Thorvilson said the beetles are not a health concern and do not pose a threat to cotton or other local crops. They also are not harmful to lawns and gardens, he said.

"They might chip away as some ornamental plants but they will not cut down a plant," he said.

However, the beetles are getting into some homes and posing problems for some businesses.

"They are coming inside, especially if there is a low threshold," said Rodriguez, who said business has been up for exterminators. "They are attracted to light. If you leave a light on inside a business, you may have a bunch of beetles the next morning. When you open the doors, they will scatter to their hiding places."

Rodriguez said he has received calls from night clubs, restaurants, hotels and homeowners in recent weeks.

"They are strong fliers and are attracted to light," Thorvilson said. "At convenience stores and other places where there is glass and a lot of light, they will bang into the windows."

Several convenience store operators did not want to comment about the beetles, but Janice Scott, administrative assistant for Town & Country Food Stores, said the bugs are a problem outside convenience stores.

"Our exterminator has told us that he is going around double spraying because they are supposed to be bad for the 10 days," she said.

Except in cases where indoor infestations are found, Thorvilson said the use of an insecticide on the beetles would be overkill.

"The swift step of the sole of a shoe with the sweep of a broom thereafter works real good," he said.

However, he noted there is a downside to stomping out the beetles.

"When squashed, they produce a disagreeable odor," he said.

A less smelly alternative is to rid the environment of the places where the beetles hide, Rodriguez said.

"They like to tunnel along concrete and under debris," he said. "You need to eliminate their hiding places. Keep lumber and other debris away from walls.

The exterminator also suggests turning out lights so that the beetle are not attracted.

Both Thorvilson and Rodriguez said the good news is that the beetles will not be around much longer.

"The season is progressing early, and they will probably be gone in two or three weeks," Thorvilson said. "The reason we see them is that they keep moving to survive. When you have the rains like we have had this season, they come up to find food and survive."

Hot summer days should send the beetle back underground, he said.

"They will be gone in a few weeks, and they may not be back for several years," Rodriguez said.